CHILDREN OF SUMMER
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLORS
AND MONOTINT BY
VERSES BY
NEW YORK
Copyright, 1888, by
Frederick A. Stokes & Brother
1888
The Daisy.
What does the daisy see,
In the breezy meadow tossing?
It sees the wide blue overhead
And the little cloud-flocks crossing.
What does the daisy see,
'Round the sunny meadow glancing?
It sees the butterflies' chase,
And the filmy gnats at their dancing.
What does the daisy see,
Down in the grassy thickets?
The grasshoppers green and brown,
And the nimble, coal-black crickets.
It sees the bobolink's nest
That no one else can discover,
And the brooding mother-bird,
With the floating grass above her.
Edith M. Thomas.
July and the Bumble-bee.
July comes with song and laughter,
Clover-blossoms in her hands;
Bumble-bee comes buzzing after,—
jacket brown with yellow bands.
"I have been the whole field over,
North and south and east and west;
And if I'm a judge of clover,
You, July, have found the best!
"I'll give all my honey-pleasures
That in fields and gardens lie,
If you'll share the stolen treasures,
In your dainty bands, July!"
"Ho sir! for you fret and grumble;
(Grumble-bees the name for you!)
But if ever you grow humble
What you ask me, then I'll do!"
Edith M. Thomas.
The Water-lily.
The Water-lily has a heart of gold,
But yet she hides a secret never told;
The dragon-fly could tell it, if he would;;
The piping sand-lark too has understood!
She loves the burning sun, she loves the shadel
Her lonely mystery makes me half afraid;
When I my eager hands reach out to her,
She floats away,—a fairy voyager!
I only know, before the lily blooms,
A long time she must sleep in watery glooms;
And when she dies, she droops her lovely head
Down, down upon the river's shaded bed!
Edith M. Thomas.